Allergy EMR Software Buyer's Guide

by K Marsh ,

Last Updated: 19 Jan, 2018 2:01 PM

Allergic diseases are the hypersensitive reaction of individual immune systems to elements in their surroundings. While most allergic reactions can be moderate, some can be fatal if not tackled immediately.

An EMR designed especially for allergy specific will have features most common to this medical discipline. Treatment planning, pulmonary function tests, laboratory results, prescriptions, educational handouts, patient assessment forms, immunizations, workmen's compensation screens and antigen profiles expedite the workflow of clinical immunology.

Features of Allergy EMR Software

Specific Templates – Built-in SOAP note templates save time during consultations. There are hundreds of forms of allergies that specialists must use on a daily basis. Allergy specific EMR templates allow the symptoms and diagnosis to be on the doctor’s finger tips to save time, some of which are:

Allergic Rhinitis

Anaphylaxis

Angioedema

Asthma

COPD

Eczema

Food allergy

Immune Deficiency

Allergy Shots

Drug Allergy

Hay Fever

ICD/CPT Coding – For the ease of billing and claims all specialty electronic medical record has built-in codes specific to the specialty. Practitioners just have to choose their diagnosis and leave the coding to the EMR.

Vaccine History – The knowledge of vaccination history is imperative for an immunology practice. Immunology specific EMR can enable doctors to note down specific vaccinations, check the current vaccination status, and chart vaccinations due in the future at a glance.

Lab Integration – Immunology requires constant testing of patients to chart allergic reactions. Immunology electronic medical record is integrated with laboratories to make the sharing and storage of lab reports automatic and efficient.

Allergy Testing and Protocols – The EMR (electronic medical record) facilitates testing through workflow protocol reminders that make patient interactions more efficient and reduce the risk of errors or unnecessary activities.

Track Progress – Allergy specific EMR helps immunologists store data on immunodeficiency, immunomodulation, organ inflammation, allergen testing and various other results. This allows tracking and long term charting of patient progress to treatment.

How to Choose Allergy EMR Vendor

There are countless immunology EHR vendors that provide the software you need. To narrow the selection down to those that fill your requirements as a specialty as well as a medical practice you need to keep a few things in mind.

Size – Some vendors cater better to large practices while some are best suited to smaller ones. EMR systems are designed keeping a certain number of users, scalability and support required in mind. When selecting a vendor keep in mind the size of your practice.

System Design – The choice, essentially, is between installation of the software in your on-site computer server, or cloud-based software that is available anywhere via Internet. Which system a practice goes for depends on their personal choice and comfort level. Some doctors feel more comfortable having the system on their computer server because they feel this is more compliant with HIPAA requirements, while others need to have access to their database wherever they are. You’ll need to shortlist vendors who fulfill your needs in this department.

Certification – It makes sense to make sure the software you’re going to purchase is certified. For immunology the certification you should be looking out for is by the ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Body (“ONC-ATCB”). They are responsible for making sure your vendor meets Meaningful Use objectives and is HIPAA compliant.

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